Prevalence of Hemorrhoids and the Associated Risk Factors Among the General Adult Population in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Hemorrhoidal disease is one of the most common benign anorectal conditions. It is described as the symptomatic enlargement and abnormally downward displacement of anal cushions. Its effect on the quality of life of patients is significantly negative and is considered one of the leading causes of lower gastrointestinal bleeding. However, studies that determine the prevalence of and risk factors associated with hemorrhoidal disease are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for hemorrhoids among the general adult population in the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with a structured, prevalidated questionnaire and was used with some modifications. It was created using Google Forms (Google, Mountain View, CA) and distributed via social media platforms in Arabic along with the English version of each question. All data from the returned survey were encrypted. IBM SPSS Statistics, version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used to analyze the data.

A total of 400 participants completed the study questionnaire. Regarding the prevalence of hemorrhoids among the general population in Makkah, 64 participants (16%) reported that they were diagnosed with hemorrhoid disorder. The most reported symptoms among participants with hemorrhoids were pain with defecation (76.2%), discomfort (63.5%), and swelling (55.6%).

Hemorrhoids are one of the most common complaints among surgical patients and are more prevalent in men. The risk of hemorrhoids is significantly higher in married women with a history of pregnancy, who are overweight, and who consume low-fiber diets. It is better to practice close follow-up of patients with hemorrhoids to avoid complications, particularly, patients with chronic diseases who are at a high risk.